When it comes to smartphone operating systems, it appears as though all the major players are preparing updates. Apple recently revealed iOS 6. Microsoft this week took the wraps off Windows Phone 8. Beleaguered RIM is hoping to right its sinking ship with the BlackBerry 10 OS.

Not to be left out, Google is readying its follow-up to Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich”. Google's next operating system release was hinted at today via a slip-up on Google Play. The site listed the Galaxy Nexus smartphone as being available with Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean". The listing also notes that the OS is arriving “soon”, so all signs are pointing to it being announced next week at the Google I/O conference.

Nobody knows what Google has planned for the OS update, but we should expect to see Chrome take center stage as the primary browser for Jelly Bean instead of being a seperate download. Given the 4.1 designation for Jelly Bean, don't count on a drastic overhaul of the operating system -- it looks as though we'll have to wait for Android 5.0 for that to happen.